Withdraw all controversial clauses: TIB
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2025 5:50 am
In the name of digital security, the law has been turned into a liberation war spirit and an anti-constitutional law. As a result, there is no option but to repeal all its regressive clauses and rewrite the entire law. We hope that the government will take the initiative to withdraw all the controversial clauses of the law and rewrite it, respecting democratic values and the constitutional rights of the people, especially the spirit of the liberation war.'
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said these things in a statement on Tuesday.
He said that the announcement that the Digital Security Act, 2018, after being passed by Parliament, will be discussed with the Editors' Council on September 30 and later presented to the Cabinet is somewhat comforting.
But TIB has expressed concern about the extent to which the law will address the widespread anxiety and insecurity that has been created among all stakeholders, including ordinary citizens.
Iftekharuzzaman said, "We want to believe that the government's country email list meeting of ministers and advisors with the representatives of the Editors' Council on September 30 and the announcement of presenting the concerns of the editors to the cabinet are positive steps. But the unusual speed with which the law was approved in parliament, ignoring the widespread concerns and clear advice of the relevant stakeholders, and the indication of resolving the controversy through discussions, makes us even more concerned. The law contains so many regressive, anti-constitutional and anti-liberation spirit clauses that no partial change will end the emerging insecurity. There is no other option at this stage but to rewrite the law by repealing all the clauses that are against freedom of expression and speech and create opportunities for unaccountable misuse of the law."
Dr. Zaman further said, 'There have been several meetings on the draft of the law and the stakeholders concerned have expressed their concerns and made clear suggestions. Although a promise was made to take it into account, it has not been done in reality. In this reality, any attempt to reach a hasty compromise or create the impression that the demands have been accepted will be both disappointing and suicidal. It is questionable whether the concerns of the editors' council and other representatives of the media, including other stakeholders, will be properly addressed. It should also be remembered that the various sections of this repressive law and the wide scope for its arbitrary misuse entrusted to the law enforcers have put the media as well as all the people of the country at risk of insecurity.'
The TIB Executive Director said, "In such a reality, we hope that the government will take the initiative to withdraw all the controversial sections of the law and reshape it, respecting democratic values and the constitutional rights of the people, especially the spirit of the Liberation War. We would also like to say that there is definitely a need for a timely law to ensure digital security and we are in no way opposing the enactment of an effective digital security law in the country. We consider the attempt to create opportunities to deprive people of their fundamental rights like freedom of speech and freedom of expression in the name of digital security as suicidal and undemocratic. And we urge the government to refrain from this."
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Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said these things in a statement on Tuesday.
He said that the announcement that the Digital Security Act, 2018, after being passed by Parliament, will be discussed with the Editors' Council on September 30 and later presented to the Cabinet is somewhat comforting.
But TIB has expressed concern about the extent to which the law will address the widespread anxiety and insecurity that has been created among all stakeholders, including ordinary citizens.
Iftekharuzzaman said, "We want to believe that the government's country email list meeting of ministers and advisors with the representatives of the Editors' Council on September 30 and the announcement of presenting the concerns of the editors to the cabinet are positive steps. But the unusual speed with which the law was approved in parliament, ignoring the widespread concerns and clear advice of the relevant stakeholders, and the indication of resolving the controversy through discussions, makes us even more concerned. The law contains so many regressive, anti-constitutional and anti-liberation spirit clauses that no partial change will end the emerging insecurity. There is no other option at this stage but to rewrite the law by repealing all the clauses that are against freedom of expression and speech and create opportunities for unaccountable misuse of the law."
Dr. Zaman further said, 'There have been several meetings on the draft of the law and the stakeholders concerned have expressed their concerns and made clear suggestions. Although a promise was made to take it into account, it has not been done in reality. In this reality, any attempt to reach a hasty compromise or create the impression that the demands have been accepted will be both disappointing and suicidal. It is questionable whether the concerns of the editors' council and other representatives of the media, including other stakeholders, will be properly addressed. It should also be remembered that the various sections of this repressive law and the wide scope for its arbitrary misuse entrusted to the law enforcers have put the media as well as all the people of the country at risk of insecurity.'
The TIB Executive Director said, "In such a reality, we hope that the government will take the initiative to withdraw all the controversial sections of the law and reshape it, respecting democratic values and the constitutional rights of the people, especially the spirit of the Liberation War. We would also like to say that there is definitely a need for a timely law to ensure digital security and we are in no way opposing the enactment of an effective digital security law in the country. We consider the attempt to create opportunities to deprive people of their fundamental rights like freedom of speech and freedom of expression in the name of digital security as suicidal and undemocratic. And we urge the government to refrain from this."
Related posts: